Christ’s Body

The Rev. Joseph Winston

January 21, 2007

Sermon

Grace and peace are gifts for you from God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.1
The cold night air made it hard to wake up this morning. The cowboy reluc-
tantly pulled himself out of his warm sleeping bag, stuffed his feet into his boots,
and stiffly walked toward the coals that were last night’s fire. If anyone had seen
him in the early light of dawn, they would have been in for a surprise. This young
man who had not yet seen his twenty-first birthday already had a weather beaten
face and hands hardened by handing rope and wire. Taking a bit of kindling and a
stack of wood the cowboy quickly made a fire. Now that the campfire was burning
and producing a bit of warmth, he could take some time for himself.
He sat down and took his well-worn boots off. From his camp sack, he pulled
out his shirt and pants and then quickly pulled them over his long johns. Next
1
Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians
1:2, 2 Thessalonians 1:2, Philemon 1:3

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came the overcoat and finally the boots were back on his feet. Even though the
sun was only beginning to creep up into the eastern sky, the man put on his hat.
The saddlebag contained everything needed for breakfast: a coffee pot, some
coffee, hardtack, and jerky. He poured enough water for a cup of coffee into the
blue porcelain pot, added the coffee, and placed the pot on the fire to boil. After
taking a bite from the biscuit and the meat, the cowboy went to check on his horse.
His quarter horse had been watching this familiar ritual and he knew that it was
finally his turn. The cowboy untied the rope from the tree and then took his faithful
steed out for his morning walk. On account of the drought, the watering hole was
lower than normal but there still was enough water for them both. Knowing that
the coffee was almost ready, the cowboy hurried the horse back to the fire, quickly
brushed down the horse, and put his saddle on the horse.
While enjoying the hot coffee, he carefully listed all the work that needed to be
completed before sundown: ten miles of fence to check and to mend if necessary,
the water levels of two watering holes had to be looked at, and any early calves
needed to be recorded in the log book.
The drained cup of coffee meant that the day had finally begun. The cowboy
stomped out the last remaining embers of the fire, packed up his saddlebag and
placed it along with the camp sack on the saddle. Finally, he swung his long, lanky
frame onto the horse and started down the line.
Etched deep into the American psyche is our love affair with the cowboy and
his ways. Superficially, we still pay homage to his lifestyle. Satellite radio broad-
casts from the skies, music that would have been familiar to the cowboy. At the

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fanciest malls in the country, we still can buy just about every item that he wore
out on the range. And if you have the money, you can even pretend to be a cowboy
by living his life at a dude ranch.
Our romance with the individualism that seems to be associated with cowboys
has permeated every aspect of our lives. That is why the fictional tale that we just
heard about a cowboy’s morning was believable. No one questioned the idea that
a young man would be out by himself on the range nor did anyone have a second
thought about the work that was required of him. If truth would be told, there are
a few of us that would like to live this type of life: no one around to bother us with
demands on us or our time, the freedom to do what we want, and the ability to
come and go as one pleases.
We have wholeheartedly embraced the ideal that the world functions the best
when it is “every one for themselves.” Our lives here in the United states prove
this.
Our children no longer participate in team sports. Instead, they amuse them-
selves by playing electronic games against a computer. For the few remaining
team sports in this country like baseball or football, we celebrate the accomplish-
ments of the individual player and never the work of the group. Our language
speaks this most clearly. We tell our children to go out and “make” the team as if
their presence on the team is what transforms the group from losers into winners.
The educational system is no different. Children whose skill is team-building are
not rewarded with good grades because high scores are reserved for the individ-
uals who test well. The business world continues this trend and only looks for

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those star players who can advance the company’s bottom line. Once again, our
language tells us the basic way we look at life. We can buy many books that talk
of “self-made millionaires” but one never hears about the “self-made team mem-
ber.” The military, a place that should honor the benefits of teamwork, has two
slogans that say otherwise. The generic advertising tag line for the US military
is “Be all that you can be.” and the Army’s phrase is “An army of one.” Both of
these advertising tag lines tell us that we as a nation love the strong and rugged
individual.
Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth gives us a completely different way to
look at life. Instead of the American way that places a single individual over ev-
eryone else, Paul presents the idea that entire assembly is more important than any
single part. Paul does this by building on the traditional Hebrew view that always
emphasizes the work of the whole over the effort of the individual.2
Take a look at today’s Epistle Lesson. Paul starts this part of the letter by tip-
ping his hand to his final answer. He tells us that Christ’s body is one despite the
fact that it is composed of many different individuals (1 Corinthians 12:12).3 Next,
Paul reminds us of our own construction. Every human body is put together from
many different pieces (1 Corinthians 12:13). Through the use of several practi-
cal examples, Paul presents the Jewish philosophy of the body that each person
is an individual and not a collection of organs (1 Corinthians 12:14-21). Then
Paul observes a natural order within the body’s parts and he informs us that this
2
?, .
3
This is not an analogy but instead it is to be taken literally since the ἐκκλησία is the σῶμα of
Christ. ?, .

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relationship is nothing more than God’s own arrangement (1 Corinthians 12:22-
25). There are two crucial details in Paul’s analysis. First, the lesser body parts
are given more praise than they deserve. Second, any honor or shame is given to
the entire body. Finally, Paul states his amazing conclusion. We are members of
Christ’s body.
Both here and at the start of today’s Epistle, Paul uses a form of the verb “to
be” in describing how we are incorporated into Christ. Our existence, our very
being, our life itself occurs only because we are integral parts of Christ’s Body.
The results of being members of the Body of Christ are three fold. The most
frightening aspect to Americans is that there is no such thing as an individual
Christian. Because we have completely adopted the American ideal of individual-
ism, we are afraid of being absorbed into some mass collective where no one can
be distinguished from anyone else.4 Paul tells us that this fear is unfounded. God
knows that each of us are different because we have be created to be unique. All of
us have been given different gifts for the body’s benefit (1 Corinthians 12:28-30).
The most practical portion of this truth is that Christians must take care of
each other. Paul’s instruction, which we will hear in next week’s Epistle Lessons,
is that we need to love every member of the body. A true individual would be a
person who is completely and totally isolated from the rest of the world. If you
could exist in this state, no one could help you, no one could talk to you, and no
one could love you. No one can exist by themselves. God tells us that we were
4
For all you Star Trek the Next Generation fans, we are afraid of being assimilated into the
Borg.

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created to be in relationship with other humans.
The most surprising result of Paul’s message is that Christ is in each of you.
When I look at you, I see Jesus.5 When I touch you, I touch Jesus. When I hurt
you, I hurt Jesus.
We rebel against being incorporated into Christ’s body because each of us
thinks that we are the center of the universe. We say to ourselves, “Since we are
so important we do not need anyone.” When we exclude others, we place ourselves
outside of their care. This line of thinking causes us to reject Christ Himself.
The other less commonly discussed reason why we are fanatically individu-
alistic in this country might strike you as either backward or just old fashioned.
In our discussion about our love affair with individualism, we were only able to
see the results of our relationships with ourselves. For example, while we saw a
decrease in team sports we were not able to identify the power that causes us to act
like this. The traditional name for these forces that have no name or no face, that
are formless and at the same time nowhere and everywhere is demonic.6 These
demons want to do everything in their power to keep us away from the body of
Christ.
Jesus came into the world to show us how to live and to overcome the evil
forces in the world. He accomplished both of these items by giving Himself to
other people who never deserved His love. One famous and well example of giving
all of yourself for another person is the parable of the Good Samaritan. In this
5
To correctly understand Paul we must hold onto two ideas simultaneously; that the Eucharistic
elements of bread and wine are Christ’s body and those called out are the body of Christ. ?, .
6
?, .

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story found in Luke, an ordinary man goes from Jerusalem to Jericho. Somewhere
along the way, he was attacked by robbers and beaten within an inch of his life.
Both a priest and a religious man saw him lying on the side of the road but they
left him to die. Only his sworn enemy, the Samaritan, stopped and helped him.
The Samaritan then took the injured man to an emergency room and stayed with
him through the night. In the morning, the Samaritan completely paid the bill and
left enough to cover the man’s rehab. As the Samaritan left the ER, he told the told
the billing department that he would cover all future expenses.
This is how God acts. Jesus gave you forgiveness, not because you are an
individual, self-reliant independent American but because He wants you to live
with others. Jesus gave you life, not because you deserved it, but because He
loves you.
The idea that anyone can be completely independent of other humans is a
complete myth. The single cowboy does not have the means nor the resources to
create everything that he needs to live. You did not will yourself into existence nor
can you live all alone. You were created to live in community with others.
God has gathered us together in this place for three reasons. First, we come
together to worship God and thank God for the gifts that we have been given.
Second, we have been given others that need our assistance. Finally, we have been
commanded to tell others about this amazing God who gathers us together.
As we leave this place and go out into our homes and offices, look at the people
that make up this congregation. We are the body of Christ that does His work.
“The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and

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minds through Christ Jesus.”7

7
Philippians 4:7.